From the Dumps to the Heights
by jgreen
Summary: Since the show wants to rotate Greenlee with all the guys on canvas, this is my way out. Ryan realizes he is in love with her, Aiden wants her back, and Leo is just back period. Now complete.
1. Chapter 1

"Get out now," thought Jackson, "and I can get to the prison to see Erica before lunch." What else was there to do on a Sunday morning? Besides worry about Greenlee. He hoped his daughter could forgive Aiden and just be happy. Erica was always better at knowing what to tell people. Maybe she could give him some good advice. But the phone rang before he could get to the door.

"Jackson Montgomery… why are _you_ calling here... it's none of your business where my daughter is… not as important as you staying away from my family!" Click. She had enough problems right now. He should stay away.

Ryan was sitting alone in the park. He had known the truth for a while now but had not been able to come to terms with it. He was in love with Greenlee. And it wasn't going away. Remembering Annie wasn't going to change that. What he felt for Greenlee was almost like what he felt for…

"Gillian," he spoke to himself. "If you knew that I would love Greenlee this much you would have my head."

But he couldn't lie to himself anymore. He had to tell Annie the truth. But first he was going to find Greenlee and tell her. Right now.

"The boys enjoying their new toy cars?" Kendall asked her husband.

"Can't get enough of them," Zach responded. "They kicked me out of their room because they thought I was hogging the fire truck."

"Were you?"

"Course not," smiled Zack.

"Sure. Guess the real cars don't do it for you."

Kendall walks over to Zack and gives him a kiss

"Keep that up and I promise I'll leave the boy's toys alone forever."

"I guess I'll have to make that sacrifice. For the boy's sake of course. I can't have their father butting in on their good time."

After another kiss, Kendall breaks away and asks, "Have you spoken to Greenlee recently?"

"Not in a couple days. Why are you bringing up Greenlee again?"

"Because she is my best friend and I'm worried about her. We are starting to get along again but she is still miserable. I can see it."

"Greenlee is stronger than you're giving her credit for. She'll be fine."

"But…" Before Kendall can plead her case, the house phone cuts her off.

"I got it. - Hello. What do _you_ want… why do you want to know… yes I do… she moved back to Pine Valley… at her old penthouse… yes, it's the same number. Why do you… oh my G-d!… you better not be... how can… oh wow… call her now!"

Grabbing her keys she turns to Zach. "Greenlee is gonna freak."

Greenlee had just gotten dressed, although she couldn't figure out what she was going to do that day. She longed for a time when life was simpler. A world where her finance didn't sleep with her best friend. Then she remembered that life almost never was simpler. There was Katarina crashing her and Leo's engagement party, Laura, Vanessa, Ryan going off the deep end. She forgave Leo and Ryan for those things. Could she forgive Aiden? She hoped so, but she wasn't ready yet. She stared at her picture collage of her and Leo, the one she gave him that Christmas, the one she looked at whenever she wanted to feel loved. A tear rolled down her cheek as she wondered if she would ever have that again. But the phone interrupted that thought.

"Greenlee Smythe… hi, how are you… yeah I moved back… what's up?… am I sitting? Is something wrong…" A stunned Greenlee fainted, luckily onto the couch, dropping the phone.

"Greenlee. Greenlee are you still there? Greenlee!" cried out the familiar voice on the phone. David knew this would happen. He told her to sit. You don't find out every day that your dead husband is really alive and on a flight home. Well, maybe Greenlee does. He had to call back Zach and Kendall and let them know to check on her.

"Greenlee. Greenlee wake up. It's me Kendall."

A startled Greenlee began to regain consciousness. "Leo. Leo. Oh, Kendall. How did you…"

"Zach called my cell on the way here. David figured you passed out so I got the super to let me in."

"You mean. It wasn't. A dream? Oh my God. He's. He's really. Alive." A now fully energized Greenlee jumped into Kendall's arms.

"Does this mean we are best friends again?"

"Don't push it. Wait a minute. Why would he stay away from me? Did he fake his own death too?" Greenlee couldn't take that again.

"No. David told me it was something about Vanessa stealing some of that drug he had that took away memories. I don't know. But it wasn't his choice to stay away from you Greenlee. It was Vanessa. He said Leo's flight would be here at 5. So you have plenty of time to think this through and get ready."

Kendall was thrilled with the news, of course for Greenlee's sake and for Leo's. Leo was a good guy and she saw how much Greenlee loved him. But she was seeing Greenlee come alive. Maybe she wouldn't care anymore about what happened with Aiden. Maybe they could be best friends again. That comforting thought was interrupted by a pounding at the door.

"I'll get it," Kendall volunteered. "Ryan. What…"

Ryan stormed past Kendall right to Greenlee. He reached out and held her hands in his.

"Greenlee. I…I have to talk to you."

"Ryan," Kendall interrupted. "This is not the best time for you to just barge in here like this. Greenlee and I were…"

"I have to do this now. It can't wait any longer." Greenlee, overcome with so many different feelings just stood there, unable to move, unable to say a word.

"Really Ryan can't this wait."

"No it can't" he snapped at the woman he used to love. The one he thought he was in love with when he first lost his memory. But now he knew the truth, and he couldn't waste another second.

"Greenlee. I've known for months but I kept thinking that it would pass so I kept quiet. But I know now that what I feel for you is real and it is going to be part of me forever. I know you may still love Aiden but I need to tell you the truth. I need you back no matter what it takes. I can't just be your friend anymore. I'll do anything you want. But please, please give me the chance to be with you again. To be your husband again. Greenlee Smythe. I'm in love with you."


	2. Chapter 2

Greenlee was still frozen solid. How much can happen to a person in one day? One formerly dead husband was coming home and another just declared his undying love.

"Greenlee. Talk to me," Ryan begged. "Please. I love you and you need to know that. Come on, say something. Anything."

It's not like Ryan was expecting her to just jump into his arms right away, but this was ridicules. Greenlee and silence just don't mix. Either she hadn't heard what he said, or he had just sent her into paralysis. Maybe that was a good thing. He got down on both knees. "Greenlee. I know you're a little shocked right now…" "You don't know the half of it," Kendall muttered under her breath. "… but Greenlee. I'm never going to disappoint you again. If you need time to think I understand but please, please just say something."

Greenlee slowly took back her hands from Ryan's. She stared at him, not sure of the words. She looked over at Kendall and then back at Ryan. She had loved him once. Now he wanted her to love him again. A huge smile slowly curled its way onto her face. She was beaming now. Everything was back in perspective.

"Does this mean," Ryan hoped, "that you…"

She placed her now free right hand on Ryan's cheek. Easy to do now that he was on his knees and begging. She did get a kick out of that.

"Ryan. Sweet thing," Greenlee purred. "I'm going to do you a favor."

"Ok. What is it?"

"I'm going to pray that your dissociative memory loss thing acts up again and you forget that this ever happened. Believe me, I'll be doing you a big favor." She giggled and bubbly skipped her way past Ryan, past Kendall, and out of her penthouse."

Ryan, completely flabbergasted, turned back to Kendall. "What the… what in the world just happened?"

Kendall couldn't hide the smirk on her face. "Leo's back."

"That's amazing sweetheart," Jackson gushed over his cell phone. "I'm thrilled for you. Is that why David wanted to find you?... I'm sorry for hanging up on him. I guess I should have heard him out, but I'm glad he got in touch with you… So you're going to meet him at the airport? Do you want me to come with you?... You sure?... Alright… You'll get in touch with me later then?... Great... Bye sweetheart."

Jackson was overjoyed. His daughter sounded happy again. Finally. He was relieved that she didn't want him at the airport though. He hoped Leo had forgotten about him having him arrested and accusing him of being involved with the Proteus drug ring. Boy had he been proven wrong. Leo had supposedly died with his mother, the real Proteus, saving Greenlee's life. Greenlee - the daughter Jackson hadn't yet known he had. And he had caused Leo and Greenlee so much trouble during their marriage. "Always worrying," he said to himself. "Now that I'm not worried about Greenlee I have to worry about myself and my former son-in-law. I think I need another visit with Erica."

Jake had spent the morning at the hospital. They were a little shorthanded and needed someone to pick up an extra shift and he was "volunteered." But that's what you get when your father runs the place so he took it in stride. But now he needed to wind down. He walked into Confusion and saw Greenlee at the corner table. She saw him and excitedly waved him over.

"Jake! Come have a drink with me. Isn't today the best! God I feel great! And I should feel great because life rocks!"

"Woah, Greenlee slow down there," Jake responded as he sat down.

"I can't! _Eeek_, I'm just too happy. Remember our little battle of the woes? When we decided that I was the queen of rock bottom. Well now I am the queen of cloud nine! You promised that my life could only get better and you were right!"

"That's great Greenlee. So what caused your sudden…"

"Leo's alive," she interrupted.

"What? Really?"

"Yes, and I'm going to see him in a couple hours!" She jumped up and gave Jake a huge hug.

"Greenlee, I'm very happy for you. Really. But do you think getting drunk is the best way to get ready?"

"I'm not drunk," she answered. "I'm just so excited and my hands are shaking and my heart is racing and, and, and…"

"And you thought having a drink would calm you down."

"Exactly."

"It's not working."

He was right. She was way too excited right now. She had to let out some of this energy. No one was at Fusion so maybe she could actually get some work done. But no, she was too wired for paperwork and ad campaigns.

"Ok friend," Greenlee began, her voice steady now. "What should I do?"

"Anything. Just don't ever lose that smile."

Greenlee got up and gave Jake a peck on the cheek. "Thanks Jake." She let out one more loud, playful screech before making her exit. So loud that Jake was getting some stares from the bar. "What? She's happy," he quipped. "Can't someone in a bar be happy?" That got people to look away. Except for a certain Brit who was hiding out at the other side of the room. He walked over to Jake.

"Hi mate. So Greenlee. She looks happy."

"Aiden. Did you hear all that?"

"The Greenlee show? Yeah, she could always draw attention to herself."

"No. I mean why she was like that."

"Well, I hope it's because she has decided to forgive me and is now running off to find me," Aiden responded, trying to force a smile. "But I may be asking a bit too much."

"You should sit down Aiden," Jake requested. His tone soft.

Aiden noticed it. He felt the pity coming through Jake's voice. He slowly pulled up a chair. How bad could it be? She looked ecstatic before. Obviously nothing bad had happened. Aiden wondered what could possibly be so great for Greenlee and so bad for him. Unless…

"Jake. It's Ryan isn't it. She's getting back together with Ryan. I'm gonna kill that son of…"

"Hold on there special agent man." Jake wasn't sure how to break it to him. "Wait. _Back together_ with Ryan. When did that… never mind."

"So why'd you tell me to sit down Jake?" Aiden asked, raising his voice a little. "If she's not back with Ryan, what could be worse for me than that."

"It's worse."

"Well, spit it out then mate!"

Jake took a deep breath. He was happy for Greenlee but was sorry to give another friend the worst news of his life. "Leo is alive. And he is on his way to Pine Valley right now."

Aiden nearly fell off his seat, but quickly regained himself. "Good for Leo I guess. But I've still got a chance. I know Greenlee still loves me," Aiden reasoned, trying to convince himself more than Jake.

Jake took a deep breath. This was not going to be fun. "You first got here when they were married right?"

"Engaged," Aiden corrected him. "I never really had anything to do with Leo though. I mean, I can't say I knew him. I did go to his memorial service for Anna though. She was pretty fond of him."

"But you saw them together?"

"A little. But…"

"Then you should know it's over. Ok look, I'm telling you this as a friend Aiden because I don't want you getting any more hurt, alright. You saw them together. You saw how Greenlee was a couple minutes ago. If Leo is back you've got no chance. Believe me, I should know."

_Greenlee: So ready or not, here I am, coming into your life forever, because I love what you do to me and I love who I am when I'm with you because, I love you - so, so much._

_Greenlee: You're my heart and soul, just like I'm yours, and we were meant to be together. We can't ever doubt that._

_Greenlee: So I'm looking forward to a lifetime of laughter, and tears, and the unexpected. And the love. And the man. I want a lifetime with you, Leo du Pres._

"Ten minutes until landing," announced the pilot, interrupting the beautiful memories.

It was almost time. The plane was going to land any minute and Leo was uncharacteristically nervous. He hoped David had been able to find Greenlee. If not, he was going to everyone he could think of in Pine Valley to see if anyone knew where she was. In the worse case scenario, he figured, the press would be all over the story of a dead guy coming back to life and hopefully wherever Greenlee was, she still watched the news. If that didn't work, he didn't know what else to do. After all, this was Pine Valley. His resurrection probably wasn't even newsworthy, just another one in the long list. But none of those "deaths" were of the son of a drug lord and were covered on live TV. He hoped that would be enough. But what if she's married now? David had filled him in on some of the details of before she left town. He knew about Fusion, Jackson, Ryan. Oh Ryan. That was a man who needed a good shot to the head. Off a cliff - really? Who leaves their wife by pretending to die in almost the exact same way she had lost her first husband?

Collecting himself and pushing those thoughts aside, Leo stared upward. "I just hope she still loves me."


	3. Chapter 3

_On to the final chapter where we finally get some Leo/Greenlee dialogue going. Of course, put Rebecca Budig and Josh Duhamel in a scene together reading lines out of a childrens book and i'd still be glued to my seat. I just hope I can do justice to their characters. Hope you all enjoy!  
_

* * *

Greenlee had been pacing around the airport's waiting area for what seemed like an eternity. She was trying to keep busy gazing back and forth between the exit for baggage claim and the new arrivals meeting with their loved ones. There was a father and son being greeted by an older woman, probably the grandmother. A young couple past by her arm in arm. Back from their honeymoon maybe? She anxiously awaited her own reunion. "Come on Leo. Where are you?" she wondered aloud, talking to herself to try and keep herself calm. "Let's go already. How much luggage can a dead guy have?"

The room was almost empty now and Greenlee was still waiting. She sat down, dropped her head, and closed her eyes. "Almost six years. I can do this. I can wait a little longer. I can…" "Talking to yourself now?" she was interrupted. "That's a new one."

She new that voice. She slowly raised her head to the man standing a few feet in front of her. Tall. Light brown hair. Brown eyes. "Leo!" she screamed, jumping into his arms.

"Woah," Leo said, spinning her around. The relief was clear in his voice. "Guess that means you're not married, huh?"

_Slap_.

"That's for dying on me," Greenlee said, pointing her finger at him threateningly.

"Uh, Greenlee, I'm…"

She grabbed the back of his head and pulled him into a quick kiss. "That's for saving my life."

She pulled him back for another kiss, intense this time. "And that's for coming back to me," she explained with a smile.

Leo was grinning from ear to ear. "Yep. Definitely not married."

"Still a comedian!" Greenlee shot back at him. "You've still got a lot of explaining to do. And not just about making me wait for you until I was just about the last one here! You know patience isn't my strong suit!"

"Yeah, sorry about that," Leo began. "But when your computer profile says that your dead, that makes it kinda hard to get through security. I was lucky they didn't send me right back to Amsterdam."

"Amsterdam? That's where you were Leo?"

He nodded. "Vanessa must have figured it was the perfect hideout. I mean, who would think to look for a drug lord in a place were drugs are already legal, right?" He paused his explanation for a moment and stared into her eyes. "God I missed getting lost in these beauties," he said as he brushed his hand through her hair.

"Leo," she interrupted, bringing him back to reality. "Complements later. Explanations now."

"Right, right," he regained himself. "Vanessa was hoping to get rid of you and make me come with her willingly. Of course, I got back with the diamonds before she could kill you. But she had her men waiting at the bottom of the falls just in case…"

"Oh my God," Greenlee realized, the panic coming through in her voice. "I've been so out of my mind about you coming home that I forgot about Vanessa. Does she know you're here? Is she going to come after me again?"

"No. Don't worry," Leo told her calmingly. "The police know everything and are on her trail as we speak. You have nothing to worry about, ok. Anyway, when they fished us out, Vanessa had them give me some drug she had stolen from David that wipes out memories. She gave me a story about me falling from a horse and that she would tell me about my life. It took a while but I started remembering images of you. I asked Vanessa about it and she got worried. She couldn't have me remember you so she gave me more of the drug. But she must have overdosed or something because the next thing I knew, I was in the hospital with no memory again and being told that they found drugs in my system that could be related to my memory loss."

"So how did you remember?" Greenlee asked him, holding him tightly with her arms around his waist and her head in his chest.

"It seems my brother is famous for using these drugs on someone else too," he explained, kissing the top of her head. "Maria Santos they said. Luckily, he had been working on a cure ever since he realized some of his drugs were missing and had recently found one. He flew up and here I am, 100 percent Leo."

She looked back up at him with a smile. "Yes you are. Now, when I cut you off before, you were saying what about my eyes? Continue."

Leo laughed her off. "Same old Greenlee."

"Who are you calling old!"

"Certainly not you," Leo responded, never looking away from those eyes. Greenlee let out a laugh. It felt great to be back in Leo's arms. She could see in his eyes that he had the same feeling. The two stared at each other for a few more moments, each enjoying the view.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Greenlee realized. Lost in the moment, she had forgotten she and Leo were still in the airport. "I've got something planned for us," she told him, pulling him by the hand.

"I will go anywhere with you, baby," Leo said with a glimmer in his eye. "What's your big plan?"

"Call it a memory test," she answered.

"Do I get a prize if I pass?"

"Just come with me Leo," Greenlee responded, rolling her eyes. "We're gonna relieve old times!"

It was a gorgeous night. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky and the stars were lighting up the streets of Pine Valley. Greenlee and Leo walked down the path as they admired the setting. They soon reached those familiar rickety steps and made their way into the boathouse. Leo missed this place, filled with so many good memories that he had recently gotten back. To him, everything seemed like it happened just yesterday.

"Has my test started Ms. Smythe?" Leo joked. "I think I'm ready now. Oh wow," Leo exclaimed, noticing the picnic that was set up. "You did all this? Reminds me of when I set up the picnic here for you."

"Go on," Greenlee happily requested. She could see he was really all the way back.

"Yeah, I swiped some of Erica's champagne and set up some food, got some music going. You could almost call that our first date, if you could call anything we ever did a date. Then we started dancing right over here…"

"Yeah," Greenlee nodded, fondly remembering.

"And then you blew me off!" Leo accused her, doing his best to keep a straight face.

"I'll never blow you off again," Greenlee promised, sealing it with a kiss. "I love you Leo, and I'm never going to let you think otherwise."

Leo felt like he'd been waiting to hear that his whole life, like a massive burden was just lifted off his shoulders. God it felt good to hear those words from the woman he loved once again. "I love you too Greenlee. And I promise, I won't die on you again. Not for a long while anyway."

"Don't make me hurt you," she grinned. "So Leo, why don't you flatter me and tell me what else happened at our boathouse."

"How about our wedding for starters. You, me, David, and Anna. Are we going to have to do all that again by the way, because if I have to watch you try and plan the perfect wedding again just tell me now and I'm gone."

"Leo!"

"Don't worry Greens," he laughed. "You know I'm not going anywhere."

"You're impossible, you know that Leo!"

"And you love it," he shot back. "So let's see. There was the wedding. There was our second engagement. Can I even count that as a moment though? I mean, it did take us four engagements to finally get married."

"Are you trying to start a fight with me?" Greenlee asked him, shaking her head.

"It wouldn't be a real reunion without one," he snickered. "Seriously baby," he began softly. "I missed out on so much time that I could have been fighting with you, and making up with you, and loving you. But now, I promise you we're going to get to do that forever." He kissed her hand as a tear began to form in his eye. "And there is nothing I'd rather do."

The two sat down by their picnic dinner. But the sound of footsteps interrupted them. A man slowly walked into the boathouse.

"I stopped by your penthouse," Ryan began nervously. "When no one answered, I figured you two would be here."

"Ryan. You're kind of interrupting something here," Greenlee said menacingly.

"No, it's alright," Leo waved her off as he stood up.

"I uh, I wanted to welcome you back from the dead, or wherever it is you were," Ryan stammered. "I don't know what you may have heard about uh, me and Greenlee, or whatever, but I uh, I hope we're cool, man." Ryan held out his hand, hoping his former best friend didn't hate him.

"You know what?" Leo told him, accepting Ryan's hand. "I'm in way too good a mood to be mad at you right now." Leo brought his head next to Ryan's ear. "Besides, if I was going to hit you, I wouldn't do it in front of Greenlee," he whispered.

"Thanks man," Ryan stuttered. "It's good to have you back."

Leo walked back to Greenlee and sat down next to her. "You've done your duty Ryan," Greenlee informed him. "You can go now."

"Just one more thing," Ryan began, brushing the sweat off his forehead. "About what I told you before…" "I told you to forget about it," Greenlee warned him. "I'll try," he responded. "But I, I meant it. I do love you Greenlee. And now I guess I'll just have to deal with that." He began to walk out of the boathouse, but then stopped and turned back around. "Could you maybe not tell Annie about this?" he asked.

Greenlee nodded at him. As he walked out she turned to Leo. "Awkward," she hummed.

"Who's Annie?" Leo asked.

"She's my new Laura. Except Laura had good reason to worry about me being in love with her husband. Annie's just nuts."

"Got it. Just don't call me Laura's husband again. That's a memory I wouldn't mind not having back."

Greenlee laughed, but she quickly took on a more serious tone. "Leo. About Ryan. You know you have nothing to worry about right? I love you – end of story."

"Listen. If there was always one difference between you and me Greenlee it's this: you're a jealous person, and I'm not."

"What! Jealous!" she began to protest. But Leo slanted his head at Greenlee, waiting for an admission. "Ok, ok you're right. But I still want to make that clear. Ryan is my friend but that's it. I love you and only you. Forever."

"So how many guys exactly do you have on a leash these days Greens?" Leo scoffed at her.

"There's only one I care about," she answered. "It's you and me now Leo. The way it was always meant to be." Greenlee stood up and extended her hand to Leo. With a twinkle in her eye she asked him: "So how about we finish that dance?"


End file.
